Your Brain on Wellbeing: 7 Insights From a Neuroscientist Your Brain on Wellbeing: 7 Insights From a Neuroscientist

Stories from the Hearth

Watch the full session from Hearth Summit São Paulo.

Quick Reads

  • Understanding how the brain and body function can be powerful tools in enhancing your personal wellbeing.
  • Strengthening the prefrontal cortex with mindfulness improves emotional stability and stress management.
  • Boosting dopamine, serotonin, and oxytocin through exercise and social bonding enhances happiness.
  • Managing stress with relaxation techniques protects memory and brain health.
  • Lifelong learning and positive thinking enhance neuroplasticity and resilience.

Understanding the neuroscience behind wellbeing can help us make informed choices to improve our mental and emotional health. At Hearth Summit São Paulo, Dr. Raquel Tatar, Chief Scientific Officer and Chief Operating Officer, the Center for Healthy Minds, shared the dimensions of wellbeing, as seen through a neuroscientific lens, to help changemakers better understand how wellbeing “works” on a physical level.

Here are seven essential takeaways to help you harness neuroscience for a healthier mind and a greater sense of wellbeing.

The Brain’s Role in Emotional Regulation

Raquel explained how the prefrontal cortex plays a critical role in regulating emotions, managing stress, and helping us make thoughtful decisions. When this area is well-developed, we can respond to challenges with greater control and resilience. Strengthening the prefrontal cortex through mindfulness, meditation, and cognitive exercises can improve emotional stability and reduce impulsive reactions. These practices train the brain to process emotions in a healthier way, leading to better mental well-being over time.

The Impact of Neurotransmitters on Happiness

Happiness is not just a feeling—it’s a result of chemical processes in the brain. Three key neurotransmitters: dopamine (the reward chemical), serotonin (the mood stabilizer), and oxytocin (the bonding hormone) play vital Naturally boosting these neurotransmitters via activities such as exercise, social bonding, and exposure to sunlight can help us feel happier and more connected to others.

How Does Stress Affects Brain Function?

Chronic stress has a profound impact on the brain, weakening neural connections and shrinking the hippocampus — the area responsible for learning and memory. Prolonged exposure to stress hormones like cortisol can lead to anxiety, depression, and cognitive decline. However, there are effective ways to counteract these effects. Raquel emphasized the importance of stress management techniques, including deep breathing, physical activity, and relaxation exercises, to help the brain maintain proper functioning under stress and pressure.

The Science of Neuroplasticity

One of the most exciting aspects of neuroscience is the brain’s ability to adapt and rewire itself, a phenomenon known as neuroplasticity. Engaging in lifelong learning, practicing new skills, and embracing challenges help strengthen neural pathways and keep the brain agile. Even simple activities like reading, learning a new language, or trying out a different hobby can enhance cognitive flexibility. The more we challenge our brains, the better they function in the long run.

Sleep’s Critical Role in Brain Health

Quality sleep is essential for mental clarity, emotional regulation, and memory consolidation. Requel explained that during deep sleep, the brain undergoes a cleansing process, removing toxins that accumulate throughout the day. Lack of sleep disrupts this process, leading to cognitive fog, irritability, and impaired decision-making. To improve sleep quality, she recommends maintaining a consistent sleep schedule, reducing screen time before bed, and creating a restful sleeping environment.

The Gut-Brain Connection

Emerging research shows that gut health significantly influences brain function and mood. Tatar describes how the gut microbiome produces neurotransmitters like serotonin, which directly impact our emotions. A diet rich in probiotics, fiber, and essential nutrients supports a healthy gut, which in turn promotes better mental health. Small dietary changes — such as eating more fermented foods, whole grains, and vegetables — can have a positive effect on your cognitive function and emotional well-being.

The Power of Gratitude and Positive Thinking

Practicing gratitude and focusing on positive experiences can rewire the brain for happiness. Raquel described that when we repeatedly focus on positive thoughts, we strengthen neural pathways associated with optimism and resilience. Keeping a gratitude journal, reflecting on daily achievements, and actively acknowledging the good in life can create lasting changes in brain function. Over time, these practices make it easier to maintain a positive outlook and handle life’s challenges with greater ease.

By applying these neuroscience-based insights, you can take meaningful steps to enhance your wellbeing. These strategies provide a science-backed approach to improving mental and emotional health. Understanding how the brain works empowers us to make choices that lead to a healthier, happier life. Want more research on wellbeing and how it works? Visit our research hub for insights from leading experts and institutions.

The science of wellbeing is a key topic that is explored at the Hearth Summits taking place around the world. Want to join in?

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7 Ways to Take Action and Promote Workplace Wellbeing7 Ways to Take Action and Promote Workplace Wellbeing

Stories from the Hearth

Watch the full session from Hearth Summit Bogotá.

Quick Reads

  • Fostering wellbeing in the workplace isn’t a nice-to-have — it’s a key element of organizational success.
  • Taking short, frequent breaks throughout the day helps employees recharge, improve focus, and prevent burnout.
  • Open communication fosters trust and enhances workplace wellbeing.
  • Encouraging physical activity can reduce stress and boost mental and physical health.
  • Recognizing achievements and supporting work-life balance create a positive work environment where employees feel valued and motivated.

Promoting workplace wellbeing isn’t just a nice-to-have — it’s essential for fostering a positive and productive environment where employees can thrive. At Hearth Summit Bogotá, visionary social entrepreneur Eleanor Allen shared insightful strategies for organizational wellbeing to avoid burnout and encourage employee excellence. Inspired by these tips, here are seven actionable steps that any organization can implement to create a healthier, happier work culture.

 

1. Take Regular Breaks

Taking short, frequent breaks throughout the day to prevent burnout and maintain productivity. Encouraging employees to step away from their desks — even for a few minutes — helps them recharge, improve focus, and sustain their energy levels. Implementing policies that remind employees to take breaks, such as using productivity apps or scheduling stretch sessions, can be helpful.

2. Foster Open Communication

A key takeaway from Eleanor’s executive experience is that a workplace where employees feel heard is a workplace where they can thrive. Encouraging open communication through regular team meetings, feedback sessions, and an open-door policy can strengthen trust and collaboration. When employees feel comfortable sharing their thoughts and concerns, it positively impacts their mental well-being and overall job satisfaction.

3. Promote Physical Activity

Exercise isn’t just for the gym! Physical activity reduces stress and boosts both mental and physical health. Organizations can promote movement by offering on-site fitness facilities, organizing group exercise sessions, or encouraging walking meetings. Even small initiatives, like standing desks or lunchtime yoga, can make a big difference in overall well-being.

4. Provide Professional Development Opportunities

Employees who feel like they are growing in their careers experience greater job satisfaction. Investing in professional development — whether through workshops, training sessions, mentorship programs, or tuition assistance — demonstrates that an organization values its team’s growth and success. Encouraging continuous learning benefits both employees and the company.

5. Recognize and Reward Achievements

The importance of feeling valued in the workplace is essential. Implementing recognition programs — whether through formal awards, peer-to-peer shoutouts, or a simple “thank you” in a meeting — can go a long way in motivating employees. A culture of appreciation fosters a positive work environment and encourages continued engagement and excellence.

6. Support Work-Life Balance

Encouraging a healthy work-life balance is a necessary part of preventing stress and burnout. Organizations can support employees by offering flexible work schedules, remote work options, or ensuring they use their vacation time. Promoting a culture where people feel comfortable taking breaks and setting boundaries between work and personal life leads to happier, more productive employees.

7. Create a Positive Work Environment

A workplace should be more than just a place to get things done — it should be a space where people feel valued, respected, and included. Companies can foster a positive culture by encouraging team-building activities, celebrating diversity, and promoting collaboration. A supportive and inclusive atmosphere leads to stronger relationships and a more enjoyable work experience.

 

By taking proactive steps to prioritize workplace wellbeing, organizations can create a culture that supports both employee happiness and business success. These actionable strategies can help build a healthier, more engaged workforce. After all, wellbeing inspires welldoing — so why not start making changes today?

 

Organizational culture, work-life balance, and employee wellbeing are key topics that are explored at the Hearth Summits taking place around the world. Want to join in?

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What’s a Wellbeing Economy – and How Can We Join In?What’s a Wellbeing Economy – and How Can We Join In?

Stories from the Hearth

Watch the full session from Hearth Summit Athens.

Quick Reads

  • A wellbeing economy redefines success by prioritizing happiness, health, and community wellbeing over only focusing on financial growth.
  • Sustainability is at the heart of a wellbeing economy, ensuring that environmental care is a key focus for future generations.
  • Strong social connections and mental health support are essential in a wellbeing economy, shaping communities that prioritize human wellbeing.
  • You can contribute to a wellbeing economy by supporting local businesses, advocating for change, and promoting sustainable living.

The concept of a wellbeing economy is catching on as people seek alternatives to our current economic system, which often prioritizes profits over people and the planet. Imagine an economy that puts happiness, health, and the environment at the forefront of progress! 

In this guide, we’ll explore what makes up a wellbeing economy, how it stands apart from the traditional models, and some easy steps you can take to start embracing it in your own life and community. These insights come from the recent Hearth Summit in Athens, where wellbeing economists Lorenzo Fiaromonti, former Italian Minister of Education in Italy and Founding Director of the Institute for Sustainability at the University of Surrey, and Conchita Galdon, Vice Dean, Instituto de Empressa, answered the big questions around wellbeing economies: Are they realistic? Do they work? How can we build them in practice?

Take a look at what a wellbeing economy is, how it can drive sustainability, and how everyone can benefit from it.

1. Rethinking What Success Means

In a wellbeing economy, success isn’t just about GDP numbers and stock market charts. Instead, it’s measured by how well we connect with each other, how healthy our communities are, and how we take care of our planet. It’s about valuing happiness and quality of life just as much as financial returns.

2. Earth-Friendly at its Heart

Environmental care is a core value of the wellbeing economy. This means focusing on practices that protect and nurture our planet, unlike the traditional systems that sometimes overlook environmental costs. By weaving sustainable practices into daily life, a wellbeing economy helps ensure we leave a healthier planet for future generations.

3. Fostering Social Ties and Mental Health

At the heart of a wellbeing economy is recognizing the significance of social interaction and mental health. Unlike the sometimes isolating nature of modern lifestyles, this model promotes designing cities and work environments that help us connect with others and maintain good mental health.

4. Supporting Your Local Scene

A wellbeing economy thrives on supporting local businesses and community endeavours, moving away from the big corporate dominance seen in traditional economies. Emphasizing local commerce not only reinforces cultural identity but also boosts local employment, creating resilient communities connected by mutual support.

5. Policies That Promote Real Wellbeing

In a wellbeing economy, policies are crafted to integrate wellbeing indicators into all levels of economic planning. This means placing priorities on health, education, and community development alongside economic metrics to foster a more balanced and equitable society.

Getting Started with the Wellbeing Economy

Here are some simple ways you can begin embracing a wellbeing economy:

  • Shop Local and Green: Opt for local and environmentally-friendly products, supporting businesses that care about the planet and community welfare.
  • Join Community Initiatives: Get involved in local projects focused on enhancing social bonds and sustainability—your involvement can make a real difference!
  • Speak Up for Change: Advocate for policies that emphasize wellbeing and sustainability, making sure your voice is part of the conversation.
  • Spread the Word: Share information about the wellbeing economy, encouraging friends and family to think about more sustainable and satisfying ways of living.

A wellbeing economy is less about drastic upheavals and more about finding joy and sustainability in our daily lives. Embracing this shift can lead to a world where people, communities, and the environment all prosper together. With each small step we take—individually and collectively—we move closer to a more balanced and fulfilling world. So why not start today and see how you can make a positive impact?

Wellbeing economies, business for good, and sustainability are key topics that are explored at the Hearth Summits taking place around the world. Want to join in? Discover the gatherings taking place near you.

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Wellbeing is Resilience: Bagoré BathilyWellbeing is Resilience: Bagoré Bathily

Stories from the Hearth

Interview With:

Bagoré Bathily

Director General, La Laiterie du Berger
🌍 Dakar, Senegal

In this interview, hear from Bagoré Bathily, the Director General of La Laiterie du Berger, a dairy brand in Senegal that is also the country’s first certified B Corporation. Hear how in his view, wellbeing is all about finding the beauty and resilience in one’s self to do incredible things. At the first regional wellbeing summit for social change in Senegal, Bagoré joined hundreds of changemakers to share his story building a business that benefits people and planet — as well as generate profit.

Watch the interview below.

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Not a Goddess, Not a Little Woman: Poetry From Shamim AzadNot a Goddess, Not a Little Woman: Poetry From Shamim Azad

Stories from the Hearth

The Wellbeing Summit Dhaka Artistic Experience With:

Shamim Azad

Poet
🌍 London, England

British-born Bangladeshi poet, Shamim Azad, joined the first regional summit in Bangladesh in March 2024, bringing with her a beautiful poem to inaugurate the Summit, which also took place on International Women’s Day. Her new poem, entitled “Debi nohi… nohi shamanyo meye” (“Not a Goddess.. Not a Little Woman!”) shares a conversation between a mother and her daughter, providing an intergenerational reflection on feminism and gender roles in Bangladesh.

Shamim Azad is one of Bangladesh’s most prolific contemporary bilingual poets. In 2023, she wone the Bangla Academy Literary Award in the poetry category.

Watch the recording below.

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An Emerging Movement for Wellbeing in Bangladesh: Abdallah Naeefy An Emerging Movement for Wellbeing in Bangladesh: Abdallah Naeefy

Stories from the Hearth

Interview With:

Abdallah Naeefy

Country Director, Porticus Bangladesh
🌍 Dhaka, Bangladesh

In this interview, join Abdallah Naeefy from Porticus Bangladesh as he discusses the importance of wellbeing, starting from inner vulnerability and strength to ecological awareness. Based in Dhaka, where the first regional summit in Asia was hosted in March 2024, Naeefy emphasizes the need for collective efforts to harmonize with our environment and society. He highlights the significance of regional collaboration and expresses his optimism about uniting various initiatives across Bangladesh for a better future.

Watch the interview below.

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Women’s Wellbeing Will Take Society Forward: Tabassum Amina Women’s Wellbeing Will Take Society Forward: Tabassum Amina

Stories from the Hearth

Interview With:

Tabassum Amina

Assistant Professor and Lead of Mental Health Team, BRAC Institute of
Educational Development
🌍 Dhaka, Bangladesh

In this interview, meet Tabassum Amina, from BRAC Institute of Educational Development at BRAC University. Speaking on International Women’s Day at the first Asian regional wellbeing summit, held in Dhaka, Bangladesh, in March 2024, she shared the importance of caring for women’s wellbeing and nurturing wellbeing in culturally relevant ways.

Watch the interview below.

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Let Wellbeing Inspire Welldoing: Rohini Nilekani at Hearth Summit Bangalore Let Wellbeing Inspire Welldoing: Rohini Nilekani at Hearth Summit Bangalore

Stories from the Hearth

Hearth Summit Bangalore Session With:

Rohini Nilekani

Chairperson, Rohini Nilekani Philanthropies
🌍 Bangalore, India

At Hearth Summit Bangalore — the first regional summit for wellbeing and social change in India — Rohini Nilekani, Chairperson of Rohini Nilekani Philanthropies, underscored the vital power wellbeing has to drive postive social and sustainable change.

In her keynote, she shared the importance of building robust support systems for changemakers, social sector professionals and leaders committed to betterment of their communities. She articulated the progression from empathy to action, distinguishing empathy as the understanding of others’ suffering and compassion as a vital next step that enables purposeful and impactful action.

Concluding her keynote address, Rohini urged individuals to prioritize wellbeing — beginning with themselves, extending to their organizations, and ultimately fostering it within their communities. Her message emphasized how the social sector can cultivate hope through strengthening changemakers’ wellbeing — because wellbeing inspires welldoing.

Watch Rohini’s keynote address below.

Transcript

00:00:00 Rohini Nilekani: Ellarigu namaskara…everybody doing well? Good. So, I know it’s been a wonderful two days. I know you’ve had all kinds of workshops, a lot of breathing, a lot of singing, a lot of sharing. And first let’s just call out the Wellbeing Project and everybody who participated to make the Hearth Summit so great.

[applause]

00:00:29 Rohini Nilekani: Thank you all. It’s very important. I’m very proud to be part of The Wellbeing Project, on its advisory board. It’s a global institution funded by several donors – with a single purpose of understanding that changemakers, social sector leaders and those who work to leave society better than where they found it – themselves need some support and help. And I think it’s really time to shine that spotlight because all the surveys that I have seen where social leaders and people working in those nonprofits around the world or even frontline workers, whether it is nurses, doctors, teachers, the levels of stress that they admit to are really off the charts more than in the corporate sector, more than in any other sector because it’s not been a topic that’s been brought into the sunlight for too long.

00:01:32 Rohini Nilekani: So I’m very glad that that is finally out in the open. Many organizations are now talking about it around the world and I think it’s part of a movement for all of us understanding and creating tools to manage stress when we are working at the frontlines of social change. So, I’m very happy to be part of this and to see the response of the Hearth Summits all over the world where people are themselves coming to curate, themselves coming together to find safe spaces to share, to feel safe and brave enough to talk about what is bothering them, to open up without having any fear of being rejected or misunderstood.

0:02:17 Rohini Nilekani: So, first of all, I’m so happy that this space is there. I was just in a workshop on competition and we were able to talk through our fears of competition, through our hope that the social sector will also learn to see that competition exists and not to have so much aversion to some things which are real but not necessarily so much part of our world. So, I’ve come to say, we all hear you, those of us…the donor space is opening up to this all over the world which is very important where donors are beginning to understand that unless the people of the organizations that we are funding are themselves not well, how do you expect them to look after the wellbeing of society? So, you will hopefully see more of that but you also need to bring better ideas to donors on exactly how do you present the idea of supporting wellbeing. So, it’s beginning the movement. I hope more ideas will come out, more, I hate to use this word but that’s how the real world operates, more investable opportunities for the wellbeing of social sector professionals and that should be a continuing journey.

00:03:31 Rohini Nilekani: So, I’m here to talk of the way I am seeing the world. I think one thing most people have realized is that to do the outer work, you have to do the inner work ’cause otherwise you’re going to hit a wall, you’re going to hit your own wall, you are going to become the limitation to the ambition of working for society. So, I’m sure you’ve had many of these discussions. I’m not going to give you advice but two things I will say. One is, I think we need a global movement for body intelligence and what I mean by that is, this thing is actually the only thing that you come with and go with in the whole world but so little we know about our body.

00:04:14 Rohini Nilekani: No, I’m not talking about my clothes, I’m talking about my body. That’s what you’re born with, that’s what you’re going to die with and yet too many people don’t understand how it functions. There is enough medical knowledge to now even know what to do to make your brain function better but we haven’t…we talk about all kinds of intelligences but not enough about body intelligence because rooted as we are in our body, and the self is the body, the brain is in the body, the more we learn about our body, the more we can first of all be kinder to it, which I’m still learning to do, and we can also use its miracle.

00:04:52 Rohini Nilekani: The human body is an absolute miracle. Use this miracle to help us to be more stable, more calm, more efficient. And also to understand things like, that’s very much there in the Buddhist literature, the difference between what all of us feel, that’s why we have chosen to be in the social sector, all of us feel empathy. You all feel empathy? Raise your hands, those who think you feel great empathy. Yes, exactly, all of us feel a lot of empathy but we also know that empathy by itself is not enough.

00:05:29 Rohini Nilekani: Sometimes empathy can take you in the wrong direction because you can feel pain too sharply, you can feel other people’s pain too sharply, you see yourself in that sufferer’s shoes and sometimes that makes you less able to act. So the difference I think between empathy and compassion is – empathy is a starting point. Empathy helps you to understand the suffering of others but then you need between empathy and action, you need compassion which is a little bit of detachment from empathy. You need to step back a bit so that you can show compassion through action to actually be able to help.

00:06:07 Rohini Nilekani: You know in the old days when I used to go and be in many situations of extreme poverty, whether it was Bihar or Bengaluru, in every part of the country when I started, there was poverty. Now in South India, you don’t see so much poverty and in fact in much of India. But I used to literally come back shattered, I didn’t know what to do and I didn’t know how to care for myself when I came back from those field trips.

00:06:33 Rohini Nilekani: And I think I developed very poor coping mechanisms and I’d get short-tempered or angry with other people who have nothing to do with the cause of that problem. And it took me a long time to realize this difference which I’m sharing with you because if you want to be efficient caregivers of society, then you know that we all have to learn better to care for ourselves. And so just keep reading on what I just said, even I’ve just started reading about the difference between empathy and compassion. Let’s develop our compassion better so that we can act and not get drowned in our empathy which we seem to have a natural talent for.

00:07:15 Rohini Nilekani: The second thing I want to talk about is hope. I’ve been saying this everywhere, that sometimes and I think young people are showing this with very high incidence of mental stress, depression, anxiety, fears, insecurities, especially the one billion young males of the world who are at extreme risk because the world has changed so much especially for men in the last 50 years. I think there is a sense of deep anxiety and it always shows up in the politics developing around us. I think though that it is very important, especially for all of us.

First, of course, you have to learn in your own way to care for yourselves and The Wellbeing Project has a lot of tools, suggestions, frameworks that are being put out. But secondly, can we make hope the new religion? This is a religion which does not divide. It can only unite. And when I say hope, keep the faith in hope, I don’t mean it as some kind of false optimism or even some very false cheerfulness or anything or even a false cynicism, to counter a false cynicism. That’s not what hope is.

Hope is the energy, the fuel inside you that gives you every morning the energy to do right action. It gives you the humility to know that no matter what things are going wrong, even the smallest action, we can’t understand the consequences. Whichever right action you can do with your conscience, with your heart, it will eventually go into a pool, a sea of right actions by others.

00:09:01 Rohini Nilekani: We can’t 100% say what the outcome will be but doing that right action with hope is always going to save you from hopelessness, is going to save you from the dark of despair. So if we can keep hope as the new religion and develop the faithful around it to support each other, as we see darkness emerge and as we see things going wrong, there is injustice in the world. Our job is to put out a little more justice wherever we can. There is going to be darkness in the world. Our job is to light a few lamps.

00:09:38 Rohini Nilekani: That brings me to my third point, which is I have been seeing, yes, I have known thousands of people and hundreds of organizations in the social sector, first as a journalist and then myself as a social entrepreneur and then as a philanthropist. I have met the most marvelous people in the world in all these organizations. Many of my mentors are leaders of organizations that have created real positive change. But sometimes I think looking at the world today, looking at what’s going on, I want us all to also think about, yes, we want to light lights in the darkness and we should.

0:10:21 Rohini Nilekani: Nowadays I wonder, maybe we need to look at the quality of light that we are putting out. Is it the bright lights of the urban city where even owls can’t nest at night? Is it what is called light pollution, where the real light of the stars is not allowed to filter through? Is that the kind of light we are creating when we are trying to create light? Not intentionally, but unintentionally. Maybe we need to think a little about this.

And what I mean by light pollution, we all do work with right intent, but sometimes we don’t have the right grammar of our intent to take the power of our intent forward to the right place. So how can we together do that more consciously? Because otherwise to me light pollution is all the polarization that we see in the world.

00:11:15 Rohini Nilekani: Light pollution from the social sector may be that despite our desire for justice, equity, fairness, opportunity, etcetera, are we also by mistake, contributing to judging the other side too harshly and therefore breaking the pathways to bridging the gaps between all of us. That’s what I am, and I won’t elaborate on all the other pollution, but maybe you all can start thinking about it. What kind of light do we want to put out in the world? Because if we put out the wrong light, the polluter also is affected by the pollution as much as those who are affected by the polluter’s pollution.

00:12:00 Rohini Nilekani: So maybe we ourselves, because we are talking about our own wellbeing, maybe if we are putting out the wrong quality of light, it is too harsh back on us. Every time in my life when I have judgingly pointed out a finger at everybody and I get angry easily, so I do that a lot. I’m trying to be smarter at 65. By the time I’m 65 in my next life, 100% I’ll have got there. But I always find three fingers pointing back at me and I have to stop and say, that’s not what I want to do. I don’t want to create a chasm between me and another person, another idea, another institution, another thought. I want to create a bridge. And my world, how I hold myself, is going to make the difference between whether it’s going to be a bridge or it’s going to be a broken down highway.

00:12:51 Rohini Nilekani: So let’s think carefully about the light that we spread. Because the real light possibly we want to see is the light coming from the stars above. Please do look after yourselves. Look after the people in your organizations. Create small spaces to talk about this light that we all try to light. And let wellbeing become a cornerstone. Every time you discuss budgets for the year, talk about your plan for wellbeing for the year. Let’s make this a global movement for changemakers to first be well so that they can take care of the wellbeing of the Samaaj.

Wonderful. So now that all of you have been part of this summit, you’re all now certified to take the idea of wellbeing forward in your organizations, first for yourself, in your organizations, and then into the community. Let’s keep the flag flying. Let’s keep the gentle light burning. And, also never forget that we can retreat into nature to give ourselves the most solace. It doesn’t matter if you live in an urban slum. At least in India, there will be one bird and one tree, definitely a few cockroaches, ants and spiders. They are also part of nature. We can learn a lot from them. So let’s find in this ancient country of ancient stories, let’s each find our own story to tie to so that we can weave a web of stories and connections for everyone to work on their own wellbeing.

Dhanyavad. Namaste. Thank you very much.

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Healing Trauma Through MusicHealing Trauma Through Music

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The Wellbeing Summit Dhaka Session With:

Asif Iqbal

Musician and activist
🌍 Dhaka, Bangladesh

Asif Iqbal, the front-man of the music band Kaaktal, joined the first regional summit in Bangladesh in March 2024 to share the story of his life and how he overcame struggles through leaning into his music as a part of the Summit’s central conversation on Intergenerational Trauma. Listen to his story and music to be part of the journey from struggles to strengths. Watch the recording below.

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